Match holder and dispenser.



l. ERICSUN.

IIIAICII HOLDER AND DISPENSER.

lggglggg. APPLICATION FILED IUNEI. IsIs. Patented 00,6.151918'1 J.ERCSON.

MATCH HOLDER AND DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, IaIa.

1,281,92., Patented 0015.15, 191s..

2 SHEETS-SHED 2.

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y.TOIIN' ERICSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MATCH HOLDER AND DISPENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 15, 191s.

Application led June 4, 1918. Serial No. 238,076.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN ERIosoN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, borough and county of BronX, in theState of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inMatch Holders and Dispensers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to holders adapted to contain a supply of matchsor analogous articles, and deliver themsingly as required, and theobject of the invention is to provide a device of this character whichshall be simple in construction, offer a single match convenientlypresented for removal, and be easily operated to present a succeedingmatch by the act of removing the first presented.

Another important object is to provide means for agitating the mass ofmatches in the receptacle to insure proper arrangement of the matchesfor selection, and means for insuring the progress of the selectedmatches to the point of delivery in proper position for removal, and afurther object is to provide means for permitting the movements of theagitating, selecting, and delivering mechanism without danger ofclogging or derangement.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details ofconstruction and arrangement by which the above and other objects areattained, to be hereinafter described and claimed. l

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show theinvention as it has been carried out in practice.

Figure 1 isa front elevation of the holder with a match presented forremoval.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line @-2 invFigs. 1 and 3, andpartly in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken at a right angle to Fig.` 2, on theline 3-3 in such figure, showing the selecting and delivery mechanism in,elevation as seen from the rear.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section and plan view, the line of section beingindicated at 4-#4- in Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the linel 5-5 in Fig. 2 andpartly in plan view,

Fig. 6 is a vertical section and elevation i corresponding to Fig, B-butwith the slide removed.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the slide alone. Fig. 8 is a verticalsectionfof such slide. Fig. 9 is a vertical section corresponding toFig. 2 but with certain parts omitted to show the operation of themechanism.

Fig. 10 isa horizont-al section taken on the line 10-10 in Fig. 6 andshowing a detail.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, showing amodification of the match-ejector.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The holder is preferably of sheet metal of rectangular form adapted tobe supported perpendicularly upon a wall or like surface, and comprisestwo principal parts, a rela*A tively stationary body or casing and avertically movable slide or carrier mounted therein. The upper part ofthe body serves as a receptacle for the supply of matches, and the slidecarries a plurality or series of matches delivered thereto from thereceptacle and lying in horizontal superposed position, and alsopresents a match from the bottom of such series in position for removal.

The body consists of two planesides A A, a plane back A1 extending abovethe sides and serving as a means fory supporting the device, and a frontA2 having the central portion raised on the rear face` as at a for aportion of its height, and provided with a vertical notch al in thelower end of the depressed panel thus formed on the front face. A hingedcover A3 closes the recep tacle, and the width of the latter is justenough greater than the length of the matches to be dispensed as topermit the supply to lie freely therein in transverse parallel relationto each other. The wide plane raised portion a on the inner face of thefront A2 produces a shallow groove at each margin of the front adaptedto accommodate the match-heads, as will be described.

At about the mid-height of the body is a deck or platform A4 serving asthe bottom of the receptacle, and inclined downwardly from the back A1toward the front, terminating near the latter in a depending flange A5leaving a narrow passage in which the upper end'of a carrier or slide Bmay move verti- Y is notchedas at b1 to support the ends of a match M`cally and project into the. match-receptacle above theloor A4. A

The slide B is a plate of sheet metal hav-` F ig.f5, 'llhe' spacebetween the platev B and. forms a channel f or the recep-` front A2 tionof matches from the receptacle." The lowerl end of the plate or slideBcorrespond with the notch a1 in the.front, and the lower edges of thelegs thus formedare bentforward at a right angle'to produce ledges B1-B1extending toward the front and adapted to extending transversely .acrossthe notch, as in Figs. l and 3. Y

A wire or shaft C mounted in inwardly extendedlugs A7 on ,Harige A5-servesas a center `for., the swinging portions of these-- lecting andVliberating mechanism 1 operated bythe up and vdown movements ofthe slideD is a restraining plate hinged on the shaftk C and having two separateddownwardly extendingarms D11D1- each having on its outer yedge a toothedspur D2 ,extending ythrough a slotv b2 in theplate Band into thechannelE, adaptedto impinge against the. lowermost match of the series inthechannel `and hold Vit by compression against theffront A2, as in Fig. 2and thussupport the series. The spurs are `held-in yieldingengagementwith vtheinatch by a spring C1 on the shaft, and are swungrearwardly out of such engagement at the proper time by arms F14 F1 of alifting plate F which is mounted to swing on the shaft VC immew diatelyin rear ofthe restraining plate D y and carries a. transverse bar F2,which `is shown as continued upwardly and rearwardly on each side,terminating infingers F3 F3 curved concentrically to the shaft andadapted to enter the match receptacle through holes a2 provided in thedeck A4 and agitate the contained mass of matches. The lifting plate Fand its fingers F 3 are swung rearwardly by the contact of a yieldingcam surfaceagainst the bar F2 in the downward movement of theslide. Thecam surface .is shown as a flat spring ,B2 carried on theslideB andcurved inwardly and .upwardly, and the inward jmovement [of theliftingplate, Fis communicated .t0 thev restrainingV plate Dby theoverhanging ends of the lugs D3 D3 on the latter, see Fig.-10, whichpartially inc'lose the arms F1 F1. rEhe plate F is held in lightyieldingcontact withthe clam B2 lby a` spring F4 on-,the shaftC. v YOutside theplates Dand F,;and mounted on the shaft C, aretwostrips'G'Goeach held yieldingly forward bya spring G on the shaft C,and each terminates in a hooked finger G11 arranged to enter the slot b2at a point b'elow Athetoothed'spur D2 and extend across the channel E tosupport theseries:of'matcheswhen released by the withdrawal fwthl spurs.The strips G G are swung yrearwardly to withdraw the hooked fingers bycams or lugs B3 B3 on itheslidearranged to contact with sho-ulders G2 G2when the slide is elevated.V

"Contractile'isprings H H attached at one end to hooks AJAE on theunderiface of the, deck A?, and? fthefoth'erf end: to'fpins B2 'on theslide,'jtendjtokeep vthefslide in the elevated position-,".with the:lugsBTUB at the upper ends' of the side'fflanges in.V con? tactv with the=stopsQA?UA1" onV thejways, and

the hooked fin'giefrsG 'withdrawnfrom the channel E and 'the downwardmoyementof theA slidev is limited by` the contact. of the same lugs B5;against the stop-.screws `A111 A10 projecting inwardly f-romfthel sidesA A.

At each sideof the. slide Bj adjacent the notch' 51 and` inmediatelyabove' the' 10de@ B1B1' is anA opening @receiving a rearward swell J1onl aspring arm jJj mounted. onthe front face of the'slide; "theinclined rear faces of the swells :J 1,.'J 1 aretloclated to.ride'v uponiixedlinc'lined pins A11 `A11 secured to the sides A A of thecasingorboglyon the downward movement lof' the slide,"and force thespring armsJrJ` f orw'ardly'to dislodge and eject a matchsupportedonthe' ledges A12 is anarrow downwardly inclined shelf or deiieetor on.the inner face ofthe front A2 above the channelE and its slide B, serv-1 ing toprovide a" spacel free from matches which the uppervend ofthe`slide :may enter unobstructedly in its upward-movement'and thus avoidlifting the entire mass and. the

consequent disarrangement and` danger yof clogging due to shifting the.supply of matches in the receptacle. l

B6 is a finger-piece on theinner face` vof the slide at the top ofthenotch b, by-which the slide may bei'ldrawn 'down ininitiating thedelivery ofthe matches, byinsert inn' a `Vlinger through lthe notch.

The operation jsas follows The receptacle is suppliedwith matches lyingtransversely therein, parallel= with each other and preferably with"theheadsl lying approxi mately alternatelyhalf tothe right and half tothe' left; 'the' slide/is -,'.lra'w'n odown, tofthe limit '0f its.Increment, bvygllsnug'fh. fm,-

ger-piece B, thfus lowering v"the ,top of vthe slide below the forwardedge of the deck A? and permitting matchesMto roll by gravity from vthedeck fintofthefchannel infaV .superposed series of single lmatches,A`the f lowermost resting von ,they hooked fingers 'G13 G1. l

On releasing ,the slide ,the springs H H return it toits elevatedposition, and 1the fingers G1 G1 are withdrawn from the char.- nel bythe action of the lugs B3v B3, but just slots b2 b2 and engage priortosuch withdrawalor before its com-.

toothed spurs D2 D2 ,enterv the the match. next above the lowermost andthus maintain the support of the series while the lowermost match isreleased and falls upon the ledges B1 B1 where it is presented forremoval extended across the notches a1 and b1 but still retainedsecurely in the channel. rThis upward movement carries the upper end ofthe slide into the open space beneath the shelf A12, leaving theremainder of the series in a stationary condition supported by theengagement of the toothed spurs D2 D2 with the match now serving as thelowermost.

The presented match is removed by grasping it between the finger andthumb and forcing it downward with the slide; this movement brings theinclined faces of thc swells J1 J1 into contact with the fixed arms A11A11 and gently forces the match off the ledges to release the slide andpermit it to rise again under the influence of the springs H H. Thedownward movement draws the curved flat spring or cam B2 against the barF2, thus swinging the lifting plate and thrusting the ngers F3 F3through the deck A4. into the mass of matches M, agitating such mass andtending to force a portion toward the front beneath the shelf A12 andpresent them favorably for entrance to the channel E. The swing of thelifting-plate F thus induced brings its arms F1 F1 into contact with thelugs D3 D3 on the restraining plate D and compels the latter to swingcorrespondingly and withdraw .the toothed spurs D2 D2 and permit theseries .to descend to the hooked fingers G1 G1 which have been presentedbelow the series by the withdrawal of the lugs B3 B3 from the shouldersG2 G2 which movement permits the strips G G again to swing toward theslide B.

At the next upward movement of the slide, the lowermost match of theseries is freed and descends while the succeeding match is engaged bythe toothed spurs D2 D2 and the series thus supported, as abovedescribed. Each removal of a match frees the succeeding match andconditions it for presentation, and the downward movement permitsadditional matches from the supply to enter the channel E and maintain asufficient number in the series.

These movements are indicated in Fig. 9 in which the operating means areomitted for clarity.

It will be noted that the action is automatic and practically positive',while the mechanism is yielding in character to avoid danger of fractureor distortion due to obstructions oered by occasional broken or greatlymisshapen matches. y By making one side or face of the channel Erelatively fixed, as by the front A2,

pletion, the

and the other movable, as by the slide B, there is a tendency/to agitatethe series by a rolling motion, thus facilitating the passage ofirregular or abnormally thick matches which otherwise would clog thechannel. p

The shelf A12 not only affords a clear space into which the end of theslide may enter with any matches'lifted thereby, but

also serves to present matches which roll down its upper surface, inposition for eutering the channel, and also'limits or regulates thenumber of matches in the immediate vicinity of the channel entrance andlessens the tendency to crowd at such entrance. A

The raised panel in the center of the front A2 on its back face providesthe extra width or shallow grooves required at each side of the channelto accommodate the heads of the matches.

r1`he stirring fingers F3 F3 operate in the direction to move thematches in the receptacle toward the channel ready to enter beneath theshelf A12, and by reason of the form of the flat spring B2 the forcerequired to move such ngers into the mass of matches is greater at thebeginning of the movement and gradually decreases, while the forcerequired to stretch the springs H H and depress the slide graduallyincreases, resulting in a tendency to balance one against the other andmake the force required to lower the slide practically constantthroughout the lowering movement.

The agitating or stirring fingers F3 F 2 move slowly and thus permit thematches in their paths to move relatively to each other and to rearrangethemselves without liability to jam. If the fingers strike against amatch or group of matches so embedded in the mass as to be practicallyimmovable, the yielding quality of the spring cam B2 permits the ingersto be thus arrested in their movement and the operation stopped withoutdanger of crushing or breaking such matches or of deranging themechanism.

Other forms of ejecting mechanism may be substituted for the spring-armsJ J and their actuating pins A11 A11, or the latter may be set fartherforward to act directly upon the presented match and force it from theledges, as shown in Fig. 11 in which the inclined pins A13 are receivedin slots bt provided in the slide B7 and ledges B8.

Although the invention is shown and described as applied in dispensingmatches, it will be understood that it will serve successfully indispensing other articles to which it may be adapted.

1. In a device of the character set forth, a body having a receptaclefor articles to be dispensed, and having a fixed wall formadapted toreceive such articles from said receptacle in superposed series, a shaftmounted in lsaid body below saiddeck, oscillating means on said shaftactuated by the movements of said slide, for liberating the loWermostarticle of such series at each reciprocation of said slide, and meansactuated by the movements of said slide for ejecting such liberatedarticle.

12. In a device of the character setvforth, a body, a receptaclethereiny for articles to be dispensed, means for Atransferring sucharticles .from said receptacle and presenting them singly for'removal,means for agitating such articles in said receptacle, said transferringand agitating means actuated simultaneously by the removal of suchpresented article. i I

. A13. In a device of thecharacter set forth, abody, a receptacletherein for articles to be dispensed, a channel formed below saidreceptacle and having one side fixed, and a movable slide forming theopposite side, said channel arranged to receive articles one uponanother in series from said receptacle.

14. In a device of the character set forth,

a body, a receptacle therein for articles to be dispensed, a fixed Wallforming one face of a channel, a slide movably mounted and forming theopposite face of such channel, the latter arranged to receive articlesone upon another from said receptacle, enlargements in such channeladapted to receive enlarged portions of such articles, and means forpresenting such articles singly for removal.

15. In a device of the character set forth, a body, a receptacle thereinfor articles to be dispensed, a fixed Wall forming one face of achannel, said Wall having a raised panel on such face, a slide movablymounted and forming the opposite face of such channel, the latterarranged to receive articles one upon another in series from saidreceptacle, and means actuated by said slide for presenting theloWermost article of said series for removal, said panel serving toprovide a groove at each side of such channel to receive enlargedportions of such articles in said series.

16. In a device of the character set forth,

a body, a receptacle therein for articles to be dispensed, a fixed Wallforming one face of a channel, a slide movably mounted and forming theopposite face of said channel, the latter arranged to receive articlesin superposed series from said receptacle, means located above suchchannel and slide and serving to induce the presentation of sucharticles to such channel in a horizontal position, said means alsoserving to prevent congestion at the entrance to such channel androviding an unobstructed space into which said slide projects.

l?. In a device of the character set forth,

a body, a receptacle therein. for articles to be dispensed, a fixed Wallkforming one face of a channel, a slide movably mounted and forming theopposite face of such channel, the latter arranged `upon another inseries from said receptacle, means arranged to enter such channel andengage or release an article of such series, said means mounted on afixed portion of said body, and means for retaining such releasedarticle for removal. k

' 18. In a device of the character set forth, a body, a receptacletherein lfor articles to be dispensed, a fixed Wall forming one face ofa channel, a slide movably mounted and forming the opposite face of suchchannel, the latter arranged to receive articles in superposed seriesfrom said receptacle, and an inclined lshelf inclosing the entrance tosuch channel and providing an opening at the side thereof and leadingthereto When said slide is lowered.

19. In a device of the character set forth, a body, a receptacle forarticles to be dispensed, a fixed Wall forming one face of a channel, aspring-actuated slide forming the opposite face of such channel, thelatter arranged to receive articles in superposed series from saidreceptacle, ledges carried by said slide, means for agitating sucharticles in said receptacle, means for selecting and presenting articlessingly from said series, said agitating, selecting, and presenting meansoperated simultaneously in one direction by the act of removing suchpresented single article from said ledges, and in the opposite directionby the action of said spring-actuated slide.

20. In a device of the character set forth, a body, a receptacle thereinfor articles to be dispensed, a fixed Wall forming one face of achannel, a movable slide forming the opposite face of such channel, thelatter arranged to receive articles in superposed series from saidreceptacle. agitating means arranged to operate through openings in thebottom of said receptacle and agitate articles therein, and yieldingmeans operating said agitating means and actuated by the movement ofsaid slide.

9.1. In a device of the character set forth, a body, a receptacletherein for articles to be dispensed. a channel arranged to receivearticles one upon another in series from said receptacle, curvedagitators pivotally mounted and arranged to operate through openings inthe bottom of said receptacle to agitate articles therein in thedirection toward such channel, means for actuating said agitators, andmeans for presenting articles singly from such series for removal.

E22. In a device of the character set forth, a body, a receptacletherein for articles to be dispensed. one face of a channel leading aspring-tensioned slide forming from said reto receive articles oneA vrao'presented article, n 'such presented article 4'from' said ledges. Y

cepta'cle, fingers arranged'tov agitate articles insaid receptacle, andyielding means on said slide'for actuating said fingers lby the movementof said slide, said yielding means yarra'ng'fed to decreaseinr'esistance While the ltenslon of said springs lncreases With theoutward movement of said slide.

23. In a device of the character set forth, a body, a `receptacletherein for articles "to be dispensed,a fixed Wal-l 'forming one face ofa channel, a slide m'ovablyrnountedfand forming the opposite face ofsuchchannel, the latter arranged to receive articles in sliperposed' seriesfrom said receptacle, means -for presenting "articles" singly 'from saidfseries, ledges on Said slide Vvsnpporting`'"sii'c/h and `nnea'ns "forV"ejectin'g 24. In a device. of the character`setorth,

body, Ya receptacle therein for articlesto .be dispensed "la 'slidemovably mounted :in

',Cropiesrof thisvpatent -may-beobtaixiedfor ve cents each, byaddressingthe n:el and engage or 'releaseanlarticleof 'such' serles',VLsaid means 2mounted on Ja Xed porlabovefset frthIfaliX my? signature.

said body andfforming'onefa'ce of: av channel, such channel arranged tofreceivesuch *articles in superposed series froin'said` recep- 'l saidmeans actuatedby: the movement of said slide.`

,25.111Y a deviceof the character set forth, to be dispensed, a Xed Wallforming one face 3 forming the-opposite fa'cefsuch channel, the latter`arranged toxreceive'such''articles -tineinsaidbdd-yfandffactatedfby'themovement of said slide.

In testimony fthatHII-claim'the invention 40 JOHN fERrosoN."

ecammissyioner of Patents,

"Washington, D; C.

